


Lara's Journals

by eutopia



Category: Tomb Raider & Related Fandoms, Tomb Raider (Video Games)
Genre: Badass Lara Croft, Bisexual Lara Croft, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Cinnamon Roll Jonah Maiava, Conrad Roth/Joslin Reyes, Cults, Diary/Journal, During Canon, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, POV First Person, Protective Conrad Roth, Psychological Trauma, Survival, Survivor Timeline, Trauma, Vulnerable Lara Croft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:13:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26270032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eutopia/pseuds/eutopia
Summary: Lara Croft is a young, inexperienced archaeologist who joins the crew of the Endurance in an expedition to find the lost island kingdom of Yamatai. When the ship wrecks and she is separated from her colleagues, Lara is forced to do the unthinkable to survive and live another day. Keeping a journal is, unexpectedly, a great help.An expansion of the 'Lara's Journals' set of collectible documents from the 2013 videogame, in which Lara reflects on her journey and her choices as means to cope with her traumatic experiences.
Relationships: Lara Croft & Conrad Roth, Lara Croft & Jonah Maiava, Lara Croft/Alex Weiss, Lara Croft/Samantha Nishimura
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	1. Shipwrecked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How do I start...?

How do I start...? Okay. This is Lara Croft, an archaeologist from the Endurance, shipwrecked on an island in the Dragon’s Triangle – east of Japan. 

I don’t know exactly where I’m writing this from. This place seems to be uncharted: it didn’t show up in any of our maps or satellite images of the area. For all I know, we could be right where the ancient kingdom of Yamatai used to be, though it’s not like it would mean much now. All of this, everything that’s happened, is my fault. I was the one who refuted Whitman’s theory about it being located west instead of east. I was the one who convinced Roth to change course. I was the one desperate to prove myself. I told Roth so earlier, back when the mobile radio I found in Sam’s lost backpack first sprung to life. 

Sam. I can’t believe she’s gone. I thought I’d never see her again, but there she was, alive and well, if slightly shaken up. I should’ve never taken my eyes off her, but I did and now we’re apart yet again. At least the others are searching for her now, and also for that man she was with. Mathias, he said he was called. Who is he, and how did he end up here? I can only hope Sam’s okay. Dammit, why did I have to doze off then, of all times? I thought I’d rested enough during the storm, back in the makeshift camp I found under that sheltered ridge; but it’s obvious now I was wrong. Heck, I’m still in an awful shape: cold because of the rain, limping after getting stuck in that bear trap, and bleeding from the still open wound on my side.

Nevertheless, I must admit this place is incredible. So far, I’ve seen wrecks here that could date back centuries. But we weren’t the first to arrive here, and I know we’re not alone. The man who took me away before I could reach the others is proof enough. His den was such a dark, sinister place to wake up in... All those decaying corpses and the primal altars carved in the stone walls suggest some sort of ritualistic practices took place there, most likely involving human sacrifices. If I hadn’t escaped when I did, I wouldn’t be here now; I wouldn’t have lived long enough to reunite with the rest of the crew. 

Our encounter has been short-lived, though. Jonah, Grim, Alex, and Reyes are off to find Sam, while Whitman volunteered earlier to help me get to Roth’s location. If I’m being honest, I would rather go with Alex, but it wasn’t the right time to argue. I wonder why he did that, though. Whitman’s more uncomfortable around me than ever before: it could be because of my injuries, my decision to venture further into the Dragon’s Triangle, the consequences of that choice, or all of the above. Either way, we should get moving soon. Roth’s waiting for us, and there’s still a long path ahead to reach him. I don’t have time to think about anything else. I just need to keep moving, as he told me to. 

But there’s also the bunker I found in the forest. I can’t get what I saw inside it out of my head. There was too much blood, too much rotten flesh, too many signs that the scavenger from earlier isn’t the only inhabitant of this island we should be worrying about. Those white symbols written on its walls still bother me. The raging storm that split the ship in half was nothing but freakish. Something isn’t right about this place. I know it. 

If I don’t get off this island, maybe someone will eventually find this. Maybe someone will read my words. Maybe someone will remember me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has it been 7 years already since this game came out? Time sure goes by fast... Anyway, this idea of expanding Lara's journals during her adventures in 'Tomb Raider' came to me while I was playing 'Rise' - and I've ended up nostalgic enough for a replay of the game. Though it's an expansion, none of the chapters will end up being very long. As for the pairings, neither of them will be very prominent in the story, as it's more about Lara herself and her survival, but it's mainly Lara/Sam with some one-sided Alex/Lara. I really hope you enjoy reading it! Feel free to tell me what you think about it in the comments section, and stay safe!


	2. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thing about nightmares is that sooner or later, you wake up.

The thing about nightmares is that sooner or later, you wake up.

But there’s no waking up from this place. Which means I’m really here, I’m really doing these things. I’m hunting and devouring innocent animals. I’m killing others with my own hands, real people that won’t ever come back. Yet all I see whenever I look back are nameless faces, beasts with human appearance desperate enough to lunge for me and tear me apart.

Except for one. The Russian’s face remains engraved in my memory. I can’t forget the wrath in his eyes nor his grip on my wrists, no matter how much I try. The many bruises he gave me still hurt. I took his life with his own gun. I blew his brains out and turned his face into a bloody, messy pulp. I pulled the trigger myself.

No. Don’t think about it, Lara. Not now. It won’t help.

What scares me is knowing that I’d do it again. I knew what he wanted to do to me and for that, I’d kill him over and over again. I don’t know what says about me. I’m not sure if I want to know. If—when I find Roth, I’ll have to tell him what happened. It’s selfish, but I hope he understands. I don’t think I’ll be able to live with myself otherwise.

If only Whitman hadn’t dropped his fucking gun. I get more and more furious the more I think about it. What the hell did he think was going to happen? I can’t help but think he isn’t taking anything that’s happened to us thus far seriously; at least, not as seriously as it warrants. In his imagination, I'm sure he’s already begun filming the latest season of his canceled reality show, with us being little more than extras in the background. Back at the forest, he even managed to sound cheerful as he theorized out loud. His guess’s the same as mine: this island’s sure to have been once part of the ancient kingdom of Yamatai, if not the core of its civilization. But he also seemed to believe that Himiko did have supernatural powers: like the legends make it out to be, like members of the Nishimura family such as Sam or her uncle Kenji wholeheartedly believe.

As for me, the only thing I know for sure is that this island’s inhabitants are ax-crazy murderers I’m going to steer clear from. I saw them hunt down the sailors of the _Endurance_ for no apparent reason. Not to mention someone in here keeps worshipping the Sun Queen in this mountain temple, even to this day and age. I still can’t wrap my head around it, though I'm sure Sam would disagree.

Roth’s further up the mountain. The portable radio is now my lifeline, anchoring me to him as I keep on climbing. All the adrenaline must’ve worn off by now, but regardless of the pain, I need to make it there. I have to find him. I don’t know what’s happened to the rest of the crew, but I hope they’re all okay. They have to be. They just have to be. I don’t know what the hell is going on here, but all that matters is that Roth finds a way to get us home.


End file.
